1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a control system for medication dispensation. Further, the present invention relates to a control system that monitors the dosage of prescription medicine.
2. Background of the Invention
It is our understanding that elderly patients have become the largest consumer of prescription medicines; however, we speculate that deteriorating eyesight, lapsed memory, or general forgetfulness associated with old age sometimes make regular intake of medication difficult. We speculate that patients have to remember which medicines to take, how much of a particular medication is needed, and at what times the medication needs to be taken. In addition, we speculate that patients need to remember whether to swallow or chew a pill, whether to take a medication with water or food, and whether to avoid taking a particular medicine with other medications. Consequently, we speculate that management of medication can be a daunting task with little room for error for not only the elderly, but for any person or pharmaceutical retailer.
In particular, we speculate that the dosage amount of a medication is critical and can have debilitating effects if not carefully monitored. We speculate that taking too little of a medication may not provide enough of that medicine to have a desired effect. On the other hand, we speculate that taking too much of a medication may have undesirable effects. We speculate that unintentional overdoses of medications have increased in recent years due to several factors including the greater accessibility to medications, the increasing practice of prescribing more medication, and the constantly-growing and ever-changing pharmaceutical market.
It has been reported that the World Health Organization estimates that only about 50% of patients typically take their medications as prescribed. It has been further reported that, in the United States, non-adherence affects patients of all ages and genders and is just as likely to involve higher income, well-educated people as those at lower socioeconomic levels. It has been further reported that an estimation of more than 125,000 people die each year due to prescription medication non-compliance, twice the number killed in automobile accidents. It has been further reported that everyday, prescription medication non-compliance costs an estimated $270 million in additional hospitalization and other medical costs, and that approximately 9 out of 10 outpatients take their medications improperly which contributes to prolonged and additional illness. It has been further reported that people who miss dosages need approximately three times as many doctor visits as others and face increased medical costs.
It has been reported that, at any given time, regardless of age group, it is estimated that up to 59% of individuals on five or more medications are in non-compliance, and that ten percent (10%) of all hospitalization are the result of prescription medication non-compliance. It has also been reported that 23% of all nursing home admissions are due to a failure to take medications properly. It has also been reported that approximately one-third of all patients take their prescribed medications, one-third of patients take some of the medication as prescribed, and one-third do not even fill their prescription.
Thus, there remains a need for a prescription medication control system that accurately monitors medications to ensure an appropriate dosage of a prescribed medicine is taken, thereby preventing adverse effects.